Jade Eyes
by Ginevieve
Summary: What if you were in love with your best friend's girl? What if you knew the tragic secret behind her death? And what if now, 20 years later, you've begun to see a woman who's strangely familiar... A Remus fic.
1. May 1977

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Jade Eyes

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Summary: What if you were in love with your best friend's girl? What if you knew the tragic secret behind her death? And what if now, twenty years later, you've begun to see a woman who looks strangely familiar… After the dramatic downfall of Lord Voldemort, life is slowly returning to normal. Harry Potter and friends are starting their seventh and final year at Hogwarts; Sirius Black is returning to the wizarding world a free man, cleared of all charges; and Remus Lupin is settling into a comfortably uneventful life in the British countryside… until a visit to Diagon Alley reveals a mysterious stranger who opens up a doorway to Remus's checkered past—and who may give him a second chance with the only girl he ever loved.

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Rating: Like most (if not all) of my stories, the majority of the content is PG-13 for mild swearing. But, as always, there will likely be some sort of intense sexual scene at some point, in which case you will be forewarned, in case you'd like to skip it.

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Feedback: Yes please. Anyone who's ever read/reviewed one of my stories knows I give utmost love to all my readers/reviewers, because that's really what us authors thrive on, isn't it? Support from our equals? And if you ask me to read/review something of yours, I will always try my best to do so for you. Sometimes I may forget for a bit, or not have the free time to do it right away, but I'll always get to it eventually, and when I review, I'm very thorough and supportive. I've also never been able to give out a bad review, if that tempts you any. ;)

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Author's Notes: This is my first venture into MWPP, so I'm still kind of testing the waters with how I want to write their characters. I probably won't go into a whole lot of detail about how Voldemort was defeated, as that isn't really the focus of my fic. ;) But I think you'll enjoy it, nevertheless, as I'm definitely enjoying writing it. And, as always, my complete love and respect to all the rest of you masters of the written word out there. You're all amazing.

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May, 1977

"_Remus! Hey Remus, wake up_…"

The figure in the bed slept on, completely oblivious to the beautiful raven-haired female poised above him.

"_Remus, come **on**, wake up! Earth to Remus Lupin!_"

She was shaking him now, poking and prodding him, but still he slumbered, his snores further evidence of the depth of his unconsciousness. At last she lost patience.

"_Ugh, Rem, you are such a prat_…_ That's it. I didn't want to have to do this_…"

And suddenly, Gryffindor seventh-year Remus Lupin found himself very much awake and very much without oxygen, thanks to the pair of well-manicured hands situated over his mouth and nose. He jerked into a sitting position, gazing wildly around in search of his attacker. When at last he discovered the grinning female perched on the edge of his four-poster, he sighed heavily and attempted to glare at her with sleep-blurred eyes. "Jesus, Evie… if you wanted to kill me, you could've just smothered me with a pillow," he groused, stifling a yawn as he ran a hand through his tousled light brown hair.

"_Shh_, you'll wake up the others," was her whispered response.

Remus glanced around the dorm at his roommates. In the next bed, James Potter lay with one arm flung over his steel-gray eyes, which were normally hidden behind glasses. To the right of James, Sirius Black was sprawled half-on, half-off his bed, head thrown back at an awkward angle as he snored loudly. Beyond Sirius, Peter Pettigrew slept with knees curled tightly to his chest and mouth slightly open as he murmured sleep-induced nonsense into his pillow.

"Somehow I doubt that anything short of an _explosion_ would wake those three," Remus mused with a snort of laughter. Then he returned his attention to his late-night visitor. "So what is it, Evie? What made you feel the need to sneak out of your dorm, break into ours, and attempt to suffocate me, all at—" he squinted at his watch, "two-thirty in the morning?"

Excitement danced in her glittering green eyes and she leaned in closer to him, as though they were conspirators sharing in some mischievous plot. Which, of course, they were, or would be soon, if he knew Evie.

She smirked, instantly confirming his suspicions. "I've got a surprise for you, Rem. So c'mon, get up, get dressed, let's go." She tugged at his arms, effectively dragging him from the warmth of his bed and to his dresser, where she began digging through his clothing. "Here, put this on." The various pieces of his school uniform were systematically flung at him, leaving the sleep-muddled Gryffindor grasping blindly in an effort to catch them.

When Evie turned back around, she had to bite down on her tongue to keep from laughing at Remus, who in turn glared at her from beneath the pair of pants that had landed on his head.

"This better be something spectacular," he grumbled as he struggled into his clothing, numb fingers fumbling over the knot of his red-and-gold striped tie.

"Oh believe me, it _is_," she insisted, affectionately knocking his hands away and finishing his tie with one quick fluid movement. "Spectacular doesn't even begin to describe it. In all honesty, I can't think of single word in the English language—or any other, for that matter—that could be accurately applied to this. It's just something you've got to see… to _feel_."

He raised a curious eyebrow at her as he slipped his cloak over his shoulders. Rarely did Evie wax poetic, and when she did, there was usually just cause for her words. A tickle of interest began to bloom inside him. "What is it?"

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "Now if I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise, would it? Let's get going; it'll take us a while to get there."

She led the way out of the dorm, Remus stumbling sleepily behind her. Out the Gryffindor common room and through the silent, moonlit corridors of the Hogwarts castle, they at last arrived outside. Cool, crisp spring air assaulted the male seventh-year, instantly chasing any lingering fatigue from his system, and just in time—Evie broke into a run once they'd made it down the granite front steps of the school.

"Evie! Evie—dammit!" he grumbled, and urged himself into a loping jog after the girl as she sprinted across the lawn. He caught up with her at the edge of the lake and, gasping for breath, he stopped her. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

Running had brought an attractive pink flush to her cheeks, and she grinned brilliantly at him as she replied, "What's wrong, Rem? Can't take a little exercise?"

He frowned. "Eves, don't be a prat. You know I'm a bookworm. The most exercise I get is walking to and from the library and lifting old, dusty textbooks." He swiped hastily at his sweat-beaded forehead with the sleeve of his cloak, then added, "And I _definitely_ do not break a sweat with those particular activities."

Shaking her head, she giggled, "I love you when you whine, Remus."

With that, she started off in her previous direction—walking this time, much to his relief—and despite various misgivings, not to mention a very strong desire from his body to go back to bed, he followed her. He would always follow Evie, no matter where she led him, because he loved her.

She was beautiful, with long, silken black hair and eyes that shamed the sparkling green grass of the Quidditch pitch in spring. She was intelligent without effort; in all the years he'd known her, she had never studied for a single quiz or exam, and the majority of her homework assignments were completed within five minutes of the time they were due. She was adventurous and passionate, though often a bit impulsive, as witnessed in their current venture. Still, Evie was simply amazing… but she was also Sirius Black's girlfriend, and therein lay the problem.

Sirius was one of Remus's best friends, and one of only a handful of people who knew the secret of his monthly transformation to werewolf. He would never betray Sirius, even if meant spending the rest of his life watching the woman he loved be held by someone else.

"Are you coming, Remus?"

The sound of her voice, calling from up ahead, snapped him from his musings. He hurried to join her, until their strides were even. "Sorry. Got lost in my thoughts," he explained as they wound their way through a thicket of willow trees growing at the lake's edge.

She shot him a smile. "Somehow I'm not surprised," she teased, and burst into laughter when he fixed her with a disapproving frown. "All right, all right. We've still got a ways to go, so I'll try and restrain myself from verbally abusing you… until we get there, anyway." And with that, a comfortable silence fell between them, only the sounds of the cool, clear May night keeping them company as they traveled. She led him beyond the lake and slowly up into the wooded foothills to the west of the school. Soon, trees and foliage were pressing in all around them, and Remus could only catch the occasional glimpse of stars through the thick treetops.

After nearly an hour of walking, Evie suddenly stopped. Remus, who'd let his mind wander off again, plowed directly into her, but she seemed not to notice.

"We're here," she said simply, a tone of quiet awe in her voice.

At last, the male Gryffindor glanced up—and found himself at the edge of small clearing, and beyond… was nothing but sky. Five feet from the tree line, the earth dropped steeply away, an immense cliff face that fell over a hundred feet to the ground below. Glancing over the edge, he could just make out the tops of yet more trees, the forest below stretching out far as the eye could see. Above, a liquid black sky glittered with a million stars and a sliver of silver moon cast pale, ethereal light over the couple as they admired the view.

Remus felt his breath catch as he took in the sheer wonder of the vista before him. _She was right_, he thought with a sense of awe, _there **are** no words for this_.

"Makes you feel kind of small, doesn't it?" she mused as she sidled up next to him. "We so often get wrapped up in the tiny details of our lives, and yet we forget just how big everything is out there, and what a small part we play in it all." She turned to him, the corners of her lips curling into a soft smile. "What do you think?"

"I think… I need to sit down," he murmured, his head spinning slightly at the vastness of it all. They eased themselves to the ground, legs kicking over the cliff edge as they contemplated the world below. Finally he queried, "Have you showed this to Sirius?"

She shook her head. "Mmm, no. Sirius doesn't get into this sort of thing, really. Sitting and thinking aren't exactly his fortes, if you hadn't noticed," she said, smiling fondly. "Besides, I knew you'd appreciate it. You're a dreamer, Remus, and a person can do a whole lot of dreaming in a place like this. Plus, it's my birthday gift to you, since my parents refuse to send me money till I apologize to Severus Snape for shrinking his head in Potions last week."

Remus laughed as the memories of that particular event played through his mind. "That was a stroke of brilliance, Eves. I wish I could've gotten pictures of that."

With an impish grin, she replied, "I did."

Slowly he shook his head at the marvel that was Evie Rhodes. A slow, genuine smile crept over his features and softly he told her, "Thanks, Evie, for bringing me here. This is… this is incredible. This is something I'll keep with me—" he gently touched his heart, "—for as long as I'm still breathing. Thank you." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and drew her into a sideways hug, intoxicated as he always was by the scent of her hair as she tucked her head into the hollow of his neck.

"I'm just glad you like it, Rem," she whispered back. They remained huddled together for a long moment, their shared body heat keeping them both warm against the icy wind whipping up over the edge of the precipice. Suddenly Evie's lithe frame heaved with a deep sigh.

Glancing down, Remus found a troubled expression on her features. "What's wrong, Eves?" he queried, lifting her chin up to meet his gaze. "Talk to me."

She was silent for a second, then at last she said, "It's Sirius."

"Well of course it's serious, you wouldn't look so depressed if it was a laughing matter."

Quickly, she corrected him, "No, not _serious_, like important, I mean, _Sirius_, my boyfriend…" she trailed off as she noticed his teasing smile. "Oh, you are not funny. I mean it, though. I think Sirius… well, I've been getting the idea lately that he feels… I don't know… _stuck_ with me or something, like he's obligated to be with me. He'd never admit it, of course, but…" She sighed again and repeated, "I don't know, Remus."

"Eves, no offense, but you're crazy," he replied solemnly, ignoring the glare she gave him. "I know Sirius Black better than he knows himself, and he is absolutely head over heels for you. He doesn't feel _stuck_. What gives you that idea?"

"I told you, I don't _know_. It's just this feeling I get." She frowned, confusion and irritation battling for control of her features. "We've been together five years, Remus. The other day, he started talking to me about getting married, and kids. And suddenly it hit me: he's only eighteen years old. He shouldn't be thinking about settling down or starting a family. I think he believes that because we've been together so long, he owes me those things, like a reward for my loyalty or something. And that's not what I want."

She fell silent for a moment, and just as he opened his mouth to say something, she spoke.

"I know that he cares about me, Remus. That's never been a question. Sirius _does_ love me… but I can't help feeling that there may be someone out there he'll love more. I mean, it's not like he had a huge base of experience before he started dating me at the beginning of third year. How can he really know that it's me he wants to spend the rest of his life with?" It was almost as though she was speaking to herself now, her gaze focused somewhere off in the distance as Remus studied her.

"If that's how you feel, why don't you talk to him? Offer to spend some time apart, date other people or something so he can be sure?" he suggested.

As if she'd forgotten he was there, Evie startled, and stared quizzically at him for a second before replying, "I tried that. I did everything in my power to convince him to take a break from me, after we graduate next month. Even if it was just for a week or two. But he won't listen. Nothing short of completely shunning him will make him leave me, and I don't want to hurt him like that, Remus. I just… don't want to tie him down, if there's someone else out there for him."

He let her ruminate for a moment before he asked softly, "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," she said, and as she stared evenly up at him, a sudden flash of warning rippled through his system. Her eyes, something in her eyes wasn't right, and he couldn't quite figure out what it was. But then she was looking away, and the thought was pushed to the back of his mind for later deliberation.

Glancing at her watch, she mused, "It's after four. You better get headed back."

"What about you?" He cocked a curious eyebrow at green-eyed Gryffindor girl as he climbed to his feet. "Aren't you coming back too?"

"Nah. I want to sit here a little longer, think about some things. Don't worry though; my classes don't start till after lunch tomorrow, so I can sleep in. But if I remember correctly, you've got Advanced Transfigurations first thing in the morning?" She fixed him with a knowing gaze, keenly reminiscent of the glares Professor McGonagall frequently gave him.

Remus laughed. "Okay, okay, I'm going. Just be careful, all right? I'll be pissed off if I wake up tomorrow morning and hear that you fell your clumsy ass off his cliff."

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "You're hilarious, Rem. Now get outta here."

"Bye Eves." He gave her raven hair a quick tousle and started back off into the forest, hoping he could remember the path they'd taken. He'd only gotten a few steps when the sound of her voice brought him back.

"Remus, wait!"

He turned and found her jogging toward him, a roll of parchment in one hand. She met him at the tree line, and shot an uncertain look down at the parchment before at last thrusting it into his hands.

"Give this to Sirius for me, huh? When you see him tomorrow," she instructed, and then, to Remus's surprise, she leaned forward and swiftly kissed him. The male Gryffindor's head swam as she pulled away, gently touching his cheek with a soft smile on her lips. "You're a good friend, Remus. You always have been." She stared up into his eyes for another long moment, and Remus got that same foreboding feeling, though he still couldn't place its meaning. "Go on now. I'll see you later."

Slowly, and against his better judgement, he started back into the forest, casting the occasional glance over his shoulder, back toward Evie, until the trees blocked his view completely.

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"Jeez, Rem, you look like death," commented a grinning Sirius Black as Remus dropped ungracefully down into his seat within the Great Hall. Across the table, James Potter raised a curious eyebrow, his silent way of echoing the remark posed by Sirius.

Remus glared at them both. "Yeah, well… I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night," he grumbled, reaching past the semi-conscious Peter Pettigrew for a plate of kippers. Before his friends could ask him _why_ he'd gotten no sleep, he quickly added, "Sirius, I swear, you should have Madam Pomfrey take a look at you. No one who snores as loud as you do can possibly be healthy."

Sirius feigned a fit of hysterical laughter. "Oh, oh Rem, you're bloody hilarious! Oh Merlin, that was a knee-slapper!"

Rolling his eyes, Remus muttered, "Shut up," and occupied himself with his breakfast.

"So really though, Rem, why'd you get no sleep last night?" Sirius queried, when at last he'd worn himself out with his own antics. The black-haired Gryffindor put on a cheeky grin as he regarded his friend. "Is there something you'd like to tell us, Remmy? Or maybe _someone_ we need to know about, hmm?"

James's grin glittered as he joined in. "Does our little Remmy have a girlfriend?"

With a heavy sigh, Remus put down his fork and the bite of sausage he was about to take, staring back at his friends with a weary resignation. "Yes, James, that's exactly it. I have a girlfriend. Because you know how many girls are just _dying_ to fall into the manly arms of a dedicated library nerd."

"Mmm, I don't know, Rem," James replied, "there's some about that dusty smell of books that makes the girls go crazy."

Remus blinked. "I hate you guys."

James traded a smirk with Sirius. "Well, he may have a girlfriend, but we _know_ for a fact he's not getting shagged," mused the glasses-wearing Gryffindor in a not-so-quiet whisper.

As Remus chose to ignore the comment, Sirius announced, "And speaking of girlfriends, anybody know where mine is? It's almost eight in the morning and I haven't had my kiss yet!" Lips slightly puckered, he looked imploringly over at James. "Will you kiss me, Jimmy?"

"Hey! Keep your lips off my man, Black!" came a playful voice, and the four Marauders turned to find the lovely Lily Evans making her way toward them. As she reached the table, she folded her arms over her chest and glared sternly down at James. "Are you cheating on me with Sirius again?" she demanded.

Abashed, James stared down at his feet. "Only on weekends."

As the redheaded Gryffindor gave her boyfriend a teasing smack on the arm, Remus couldn't help but smile, shaking his head slightly at the antics of his friends. But there was something missing, and it took him a moment to realize this was normally the point in time where Evie would pull off a witty one-liner, breaking them all down into hysterics. A momentary flutter of concern rippled through his system, before he remembered she would likely still be in bed, sleeping off their previous nights' adventure. A secret grin came to his lips at this.

"Hey Lils, you didn't happen to see my girlfriend on the way out of the dorm, did you?" queried Sirius, munching noisily on a fresh pear as he watched Lily ruffle her fingers lightly through James's unruly black hair.

Lily's brow wrinkled thoughtfully. "Mmm, I'm not sure, actually. Her bed curtains were still drawn when I left to come down here. She might still be asleep."

"Why didn't you wake her up then?" Sirius demanded.

"I'm not going to wake up Evie just because you think you need to have someone holding your hand at all hours, you prat," she shot back with mild annoyance. "I think she _deserves_ a bit of a break once in a while from putting up with _you_."

"Ooh, she told _you_," interjected Peter, looking a bit more awake now that he'd had some breakfast. He rose a supportive fist. "Girl power, Lily."

She shot a smug look at Sirius before smiling sweetly at the blonde-haired Marauder. "Thank you, Peter."

Desiring to go one whole morning without an argument, Remus searched quickly for something to break the tension—when he suddenly remembered the letter still folded away in the pocket of his robes. He retrieved the folded parchment and held it out to its recipient. "I almost forgot. Evie asked me to give this to you, Sirius."

Accepting his letter with a skeptically raised eyebrow, Sirius queried, "When was that?"

"Um… I don't remember… sometime yesterday evening, I think," Remus replied quickly, only half-lying to his friend. He knew Sirius wouldn't mind if he told him about Evie's late-night gift, but something kept him from explaining, something inside that wanted to keep that moment special, secret.

Luckily, Sirius didn't seem overly concerned about the matter. He was too busy gleefully opening his letter. "Love note from my Eves," he said cheerfully, his resplendent grin that of a man deeply, wonderfully in love.

Remus watched as Sirius began reading his letter, mouthing the words as he glanced over them, his smile growing at various phrases and sections. But then a change came over the usually-jubilant Gryffindor, a transformation that was altogether startling in its extremity. An expression of horror and disbelief came over Sirius as he slowly shook his head, continuing to stare at the parchment as though the message inside was written in Greek. At last his eyes rose to Remus, and there was a chilling terror in Sirius's gaze that shook Remus to the core.

"Is this—is this some sort of sick joke?" Sirius choked out, his voice strangled and weak.

"What? No, Sirius…" A slow tremor of alarm was swiftly working its way through Remus's body, and he noticed that now James, Lily, and Peter were all gazing at them with similar expressions of unease. "Why? What is it? What's…" he trailed off, struck with a new wave of distress as tears sprung suddenly to Sirius's eyes. In the seven years Remus had known him, Sirius had never cried. Not _once_.

"Hey man… what's going on?" This from James, who reached over and tentatively put a hand on Sirius's arm in an uncertain gesture of encouragement.

The other Gryffindor swallowed several times, his breaths coming in short, painful gasps, until at last he somehow managed to relate in a barely audible whimper, "This is a suicide note. Evie's dead."

Remus heard several anguished cries ring out around him before the world went black.


	2. Shadows of the Past

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Jade Eyes

Chapter Two

Author's Note: Yay, Chapter Two! This would've come out yesterday, but I wanted to publish it with the new chapter of _Fixing to Fly_, my Oliver Wood story. And for the record, I am _totally_ falling in love with Remus. He's so cute! I just want to hug him! *Adele hugs her Remus muse* Right. I want to send _Sirius_ (heehee) love to all my fabulouso reviewers; you guys are so cool! I'll give individual props in my next chapter, but for the moment, believe me when I say **_I love you all!!!_**

**SPECIAL NOTE: Adele (that'd be me) has finally gotten her lazy butt around to paying for her ff.net account, which means that now, if you so choose, you can add her to your Author Alert list. This means that every time she updates any of her three stories, or adds a new story, you will get a special e-mail letting you know, so you can rush right out and marvel over her new masterpiece of literature (as, of course, she knows you all do ;). THANK YOU!**

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September, 1997

Remus woke with a start as his alarm clock went off and the sounds of the Weird Sisters' newest song filled his room over the Wizard Wireless Network. For a long moment, he simply laid there, letting the pleasant strains of music wash over him as he contemplated the network of cracks that delineated his ceiling. The dream he'd been roused from was one he'd not had in a long time—nearly a decade, at best guess. So many things had happened in his life since that day, so many new memories… he'd almost forgotten all about Evie Rhodes.

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Almost.

After all, a man doesn't just _forget_ the love of his life. The liquid jade depths of her eyes, the pure black silk of her hair, the scents of fresh air and green grass and life that always clung to her skin… They never had found Evie's body.

A slow shudder worked through his bones, and Remus shook his head, forcing himself back to the present. He refused to get lost in reminiscence, especially in memories so tragic.

With a resigned sigh, he at last tossed back his blankets and rolled into a sitting position, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. He was reaching for the alarm clock to silence it when the voice of the morning announcer relating the news made his hand pause in midair, head cocked thoughtfully as he listened.

"_—and our top story of the hour: convicted felon and Azkaban escapee Sirius Black was cleared of **all** charges against him this morning, thanks to new evidence brought forth during the interrogations of former Death Eaters. You'll all remember, Black was long believed to be the right hand man of He-Who-Must-Not—_" the announcer paused and cleared his throat, "—_excuse me, the right hand man of Lord Voldemort_…"

Remus cocked an amused eyebrow at this; even now, months after the Dark Lord's downfall, witches and wizards all over the world were only _just_ getting used to speaking his name without fear. Slowly but surely, confidence was seeping back into the wizarding world.

"…_but we now know that it was in fact Peter Pettigrew at the front of the dark side's rebirth. Faking his own death, Pettigrew framed Black for his own murder and those of thirteen Muggle bystanders in order to cover his dark deeds. But in light of the revelations following Voldemort's downfall, the Ministry of Magic has issued an official apology to Black, and commended him with the Order of Merlin, Second Class for his heroic efforts during the final days of the war. We've been told that the acquitted Black is currently visiting Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he is spending some well-deserved time with his godson, Harry Potter. In other news_…"

A genuine smile etched easily across his face, he flicked off the radio and rose to his feet, headed for the front porch where his issue of the Daily Prophet would be waiting. As he cracked open the door, a warm autumn breeze swept in, carrying the leafy scent of the woods that lay just to the south of his secluded country home.

Stepping out into the sunlight, Remus glanced to the ground, found the newspaper at his feet, and broke into laughter at the picture of a joyfully grinning Sirius Black that occupied the front page. He picked up the paper, studying his old friend's profile closely; Sirius had changed much since the last time Remus had seen him. He was now well-groomed and clean-shaven, short black hair hanging over mocha eyes that had regained their twinkle, in a face that was no longer gaunt and pale. To Remus's eyes, the Sirius smiling up at him from the morning paper was almost identical to the young Gryffindor prankster of twenty years prior. It was only the tiny lines around his eyes, the touch of weariness that marked his smile, that gave away the long, hard years the man had seen.

It was as Remus stood perusing the article, which added more detail to news report he'd heard minutes prior, that the sound of fluttering feathers from the nearby porch rail drew his attention. He glanced up to find a vaguely familiar snowy owl inspecting him with large gold eyes, an envelope clutched carefully in its beak.

"Hello," he remarked with mild surprise, accepting his letter. "Suppose this is for me then?"

The owl hooted softly and shot him a look that suspiciously resembled sarcasm, a 'Duh-You-Idiot' look, as Sirius would've called it. But before Remus could contemplate this, the owl had taken flight again, a rapidly shrinking speck of white against a brilliant blue backdrop.

Glancing at the envelope again, his name scrawled across the front in untidy handwriting, he shrugged, and shuffled back into his home as his stomach gave a grumbling request for some food. From the pantry he withdrew a half-rack of bacon and a few eggs, which he set to cooking on the stove with a wave of his wand. Keeping the occasional glance on his simmering breakfast, he leaned his lithe frame against the wall and went about opening his mysterious morning mail.

With a slowly dawning sense of curiosity, he unfolded his letter—and broke into an instant smile at the first three words that topped the page. "**_Dear Professor Lupin_**." There was only one person Remus could think of who would ever write to him and address him as _Professor_. He supposed Harry Potter would always think of him as Professor Lupin, despite all that Harry now knew about Remus's close friendship with James and Lily. It occurred to Remus for the second time that morning just how hard some old habits died.

Grinning, he returned his attention once more to his letter.

**__**

Hope this letter finds you well. No complaints from my end (besides having to deal with another year of Snape, but at least that's almost over too). In case you have yet to hear the good news, then I'll be the first to tell you: Sirius is free! The Ministry cleared him of all charges and even commended him with a special title of some sort (seems I've forgotten it already; oh well). He's here with me now, at Hogwarts, for at least another week. He's asked me to let you know that when you mail back (you're expected to, anyway, I guess) to please leave instructions on how to apparate to your home, as it is in the absolute middle of nowhere. (His words, not mine.) Sirius says he'll be out to visit you soon. As for me, I'd like very much to see you again; perhaps over Christmas break, you and Sirius could come back to Hogsmeade. We can talk about that later though, I suppose. Well, this letter is getting longish; you've likely got better things to do than read my ramblings all day.

Best of wishes,

Harry Potter

Slowly Remus refolded his letter, tucking it back in its envelope and leaving it in the middle of the kitchen table, a reminder that he would need to write Harry back later. His breakfast had finished cooking, and he consumed it with surprising vigor, eating more ravenously than he had in months. Then he hurried off to the bathroom, pampering himself with a deliciously long shower.

At last he climbed, dripping, out onto the tiled bathroom floor, tying a white terrycloth towel tightly around his waist as he paused in front of the mirror. He contemplated the man staring back at him: lithe, lightly muscled torso—he never _had_ been the athletic type after all, short light brown hair with a few streaks of premature gray… and his eyes. He wasn't a particularly vain man, but if he had to pick his best feature, he would definitely choose his eyes. Gold colored, alert and piercing—wolves eyes.

Remus felt a smirk strike him at this thought. Normally he was bothered when he noticed such similarities between his human and wolf states, but not this morning. Not even the disturbing dream that had shaken him from slumber could dampen his spirits. He was in a decidedly exquisite mood.

"And yet I have a whole long day ahead of me with nothing to do," he mused aloud, ruffling fingers lightly through his damp hair.

His reflection, who was busy examining the new line of summer freckles that had appeared over his biceps, replied almost absently, "Well, Mr. Cheerful, why don't you practice not being a hermit for once and make a trip to Diagon Alley? You haven't treated yourself to a new book for almost a month."

Remus snapped his fingers with dawning excitement. "You know, you're right. That's an excellent idea. I can apparate into Flourish and Blotts right now!"

"Um, you might want to get dressed first," his reflection suggested, indicating the towel still wrapped around their identical waists.

Chuckling at his own absent-mindedness, he agreed, "Suppose you're right." Leaving his reflection skeptically shaking his head, Remus wandered into his bedroom, selecting a random set of robes from his wardrobe and sliding the various articles over his thin frame. Then, collecting both his wand and change purse from his bedside stand—he had very little concern for security since he _was_, as Sirius had so eloquently put it, in the absolute middle of nowhere—he prepared to apparate into the book store.

He closed his eyes, gave his wand a quick flick—and felt the familiar sensation as though his body was dissolving around him, tiny particles of sand blown away by a swift wind, until it seemed he had no substance at all. Then, just a quickly, the particles regrouped, and when he reopened his eyes, he stood calmly in the middle of Flourish and Blotts, surrounded by a few browsing witches and wizards who barely took notice of his arrival.

Tucking his wand back into his robes, he moved immediately for the nearby staircase, wandering up to the second level where he could browse among the various texts, new and old, for hours, undisturbed.

It took him only a few moments to locate a promising selection, the cover bound in black dragon hide and with gilded gold lettering across the front, proudly proclaiming the title: _Boggarts, Balloons, and Bertie Botts—A Beginner's Guide to Interpreting Your Dreams_. Twenty minutes later, he was thoroughly enthralled in the text, reading with his elbows propped against the railing that looked down on the bustling floor below. It was only sudden motion from the corner of his eye that at last drew Remus's attention. He glanced up in time to witness the commotion taking place on the ground floor.

For several moments now, a woman, whose pale blue robes hung off an almost sickly slender frame, had been meandering through the art section when her legs suddenly seemed to give out on her. To her fortune, the young wizard who'd been browsing next to her was quick on his feet, and caught the poor woman before she could topple into the shelf of books behind her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… are you okay, Miss?" he asked her, his arms circled carefully around the gentle curve of her waist. "You almost took quite the spill."

The woman, who stood with her back to Remus, quickly regained her own footing, and ran long fingers through the length of her silken black hair as she replied, "Yes. Thank you, yes, I'm fine. I just… had a bit of a dizzy spell, is all. I'll be fine now. Thanks again." She gave the man a last nod and turned on her heel, her eyes momentarily sweeping up to where Remus stood observing. For a second, her gaze met his—and Remus felt the world freeze.

Brilliant, deep green eyes, set in a face eternally familiar, though she was far paler and thinner than the last time he'd seen her. But there was no question in his mind who he was looking at, even as she glanced away, pulling the hood of her robes up over her head of raven hair as she slipped silently out of the store.

Remus had just seen Evie Rhodes. And she was _very_ much alive.

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Eee! I get the feeling this one's going to be rather fast-paced! That's okay. I'm so excited about this chapter! Am I a cliffhanger queen or what? So mean of me… tsk tsk. ;) But I would absolutely luuuurrrve to hear what you have to say, so drop me a review! And thank you again for just reading; you guys are all the sweetest.

Wave your 'I love Remus' banner proudly! ~ Adele


	3. Catching A Ghost

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Jade Eyes

Chapter Three

Author's Note: Yep, we definitely got ourselves a fast-paced fic here, folks. Which is good, seeing as I've just started a _fourth_ fic (called _All Lined In Silver_, which you should definitely go read. It's a Fred and George fic, featuring angst _and_ humor! I love contradictions… ;) and I've also got an idea for a fifth one kickin' around in my head. And hey, good news! I'm now online with Fiction Alley as well! So if you'd like to swing by there and re-read some of my old stuff and drop me a review _there_, by all means, I'll love you for it. And _maybe_ I might occasionally publish new stuff _there_ first, before I publish it here on ff.net, just to shake things up a bit. So ya never know. ;) Heehee, I'm sneaky! Righto. The author would like to thank: **Aki-chan, Radix Lecte, Silverdanica, Mackenzie, arina, MaurauderChic-Stripes, Darkswansong, Jellybean, Hena, **and **Rock-Star-For-Wood** for being awe-inspiringly sweet reviewers, and would also like to confess her undying love for: **Carlyn, Elliza, Josie, Heather, Kat, Rebecca, WannabeHobbit, Amerz, **and **Fearless** who have been nothing been wonderful to me about this fic and all my others. *sniffle* You're the best, all of you!

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Nearly tripping over his own feet as he ran down the stairs, Remus tried to keep an eye on the woman in pale blue robes, but lost her as she stepped outside into the crowd in Diagon Alley. He swore beneath his breath as he found himself caught in a throng of people all gathered around a display for Gilderoy Lockhart's latest book. Receiving many a hostile glare and indignant protest, he pushed, shoved, and side-stepped his way through, at last emerging out into the humid autumn air as he gaped frantically around.

The girl he'd thought a ghost for the last twenty years was nowhere to be seen.

And perhaps that was all she'd been anyway. A phantom, a specter, a figment of his vivid imagination, brought on by… what? By the dream, of course, compounded with the news of Sirius's release and the flood of old memories _that_ had brought. He couldn't have _actually_ seen Evie Rhodes. She was dead.

He'd almost convinced himself of this line of reasoning when a flash of pale blue from ahead caught his eye, a lithe figure weaving her way through the stream of browsing witches and wizards. Before he had time to think about it, he was off again, paying no mind to anyone else as he fought his way after her. If there was even a _chance_ it was Evie… he couldn't risk losing her again.

The focus of his attentions continued to bob in and out of his line of sight, forcing him to continually pause and relocate her, until finally she seemed to disappear for good. Remus stood there for a long moment, craning his neck above the throngs of shoppers with growing desperation. At last he sunk back, defeated. A wave of bitter disappointment swept through him, taking the man by surprise; he hadn't realized just how caught up he'd gotten in the idea of seeing Evie again.

Feeling suddenly very old, he raked his fingers back through his hair, sighing. "Remus, you're a fool," he muttered aloud. He sent a disinterested glance at the shops around him, his desire for a day of perusing decidedly destroyed. Aimlessly he began to wander down the Alley, till at last he stood before the brick wall that would take him into the Leaky Cauldron, and the world of Muggle London beyond.

"A stiff shot of Firewhisky sounds about right," he announced to no one in particular, letting his wand graze through the familiar pattern to open the wall.

Inside the pub, the regular cast of characters was present and accounted for, despite it being still quite early on a Tuesday morning. He was acknowledged with polite nods—and one friendly albeit lopsided smile from Dedalus Diggle—as he made his way to the bar and slid his lithe frame up onto a stool. Tom the bartender, still as bald and toothless as he'd been when Remus was only a child, shuffled down to greet the newcomer.

"Haven't seen the likes of you round here lately, Mr. Lupin," the old man announced, resting his gnarled hands palms-down in front of Remus as he leaned in close to inspect him. "Looking a bit pale, you are. Got something that'll color you right up."

Two shot glasses were set before Remus, which Tom filled with a pale amber liquid before nudging one forward for the brown-haired young man, the other kept for himself. Remus raised his glass, gently clinking it against the bartender's.

"To life, luck and love," Tom toasted, then rapidly downed his beverage.

"Hopefully not in that order," Remus added before following suit, swallowing the shot glass's contents in one long gulp. The amber liquid had a sharp, bitter taste that burned his throat as it went down. He grimaced as he set his glass back on the counter; it wasn't Firewhisky, but he would bet it was just as potent.

Tom, who looked no worse the wear for his quick drink, placed his empty glass down alongside Remus's and had begun to refill them both when he queried, "Something on your mind today, Remus?"

__

What was your first clue? Remus wanted to ask, but refrained himself from this sarcastic response. The bartender, after all, was simply being polite. So he sighed, took a sip from his newly-refilled glass, and replied, "Nothing important. Just thought I saw someone. Someone I haven't seen in a _very_ long time." The memory of the green-eyed woman as she'd stared up at him in Flourish and Blotts replayed in his head, prompting him to drain his beverage once more.

"Mmm," was Tom's thoughtful reply as he topped off Remus's drink yet again without being asked. "Old friend, was it?"

Remus surprised himself with a short laugh. "You could say that, yeah." He glanced up at the old bartender, who was nodding wisely, and suddenly he blurted out, "Have you ever been in love, Tom? I mean, _really_ head-over-heels in love?"

"More times than I dare to count," Tom replied with a grin.

"No, like… once-in-a-lifetime love. Like that one girl who comes along, and you just _know_ she's the one you want to spend the rest of your life with. The one you dream about at night, because you can't get over just how beautiful she is in real life. The one who gives you knots in your stomach every time you see her, even if it's only for five seconds. The one who drives you absolutely crazy because she has no idea just what she does to you. And the one you'll always love, no matter what happens…" Remus trailed off, lost in thought.

Giving the younger man a minute to contemplate, the bartender at last queried, "So what happened to her?"

"Hmm?" Remus stared blankly up at Tom.

"Your one. What happened to her?"

Remus sighed deeply. "She…" he paused, then shook his head, and began again. "Do you remember a girl named Evie Rhodes?"

Brow wrinkled in concentration, Tom pondered for a moment before a look of clarity swept over his features. "Ohh, I think I do remember a young woman by that particular name. Very pretty, that one; eyes greener than the finest emerald."

The younger man snapped his fingers. "Yep. That would be Evie."

A knowing smile found the bartender's lips. "Fancied her, huh? Can't say I blame you though, lad. She was a special one. Had that look about her—in those eyes, especially—like she knew the special secret to living, but she'd only tell you if you asked her nice. A real gem." Slowly Tom's smile faded as a thought struck him. "Wait. Wasn't she the one who—"

"Yeah," Remus interjected, before the other man could finish. "That was her."

Tom shook his head sadly. "Remember hearing some of the kids in here talking about it, after it happened. Don't think there was a single person had anything bad to say about her."

"I'd imagine not," said Remus softly. He stared down at the drink cradled between his palms, fighting against the lump that wanted to form in his throat. Hoping to change the subject, he queried in a tone that he hoped was nonchalant, "Hey Tom, you see everybody who comes through here, right?"

"Why yes, lad, I do," the older man answered proudly, holding his shoulders a bit higher. "I pride myself on noticing the details."

Remus smiled. "And you do a spectacular job, sir. Which is why I'd like to ask you if you happened to see a woman come in not long ago. She would've been on the slim side, wearing pale blue robes, possibly with her hood up," he described the woman he'd seen, though not really expecting any sort of positive response from the bartender.

Which was he was surprised when Tom replied brightly, "Matter of fact, I _did_ see a woman of that description in here. Came in just a few moments before you did, though I can't for the life of me tell you where she went. I lost track of her when you sat down, somewhere over by the door." He nodded toward the shadowed exit of the establishment that led out into the streets of London.

For a second Remus sat, stunned, before suddenly toppling out of his seat, muttering a hasty "Thanks," to the bartender as he sprinted out the door. Bursting into the street, he gazed around hopefully for any sign of pale blue robes or raven black hair. But all he found were curious looks from Muggles passing by, and feeling like an utter fool for the second time that day, he shuffled glumly back into the Leaky Cauldron. No one seemed to take note of his entrance this time, as he slumped wearily against the wall and rubbed fiercely at his eyes. "Merlin, Remus, how big an idiot are you going to be today?" he hissed to himself.

"You, of all people, Remus Lupin, can _hardly_ be considered an idiot," came an eerily familiar voice from the shadows of a nearby booth.

Remus startled, his heart in his throat as he turned to the hidden figure.

"Damnable in your persistence, perhaps, but certainly not an idiot," continued the woman—and indeed it was a woman; he would remember that particular feminine voice till the day he died. He watched with wide eyes as she emerged from the shadows, as beautiful and amazing and _alive_ as she'd been the last night he'd seen her, twenty years ago. She smiled at him as she climbed shakily to her feet.

His voice barely above a whisper, he gasped, "Evie?"

"Hello, Remus," said Evie Rhodes. And then she passed out, the woman thought to be dead falling gently into the arms of the man who was still madly in love with her.

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I know, I know—tis a bit short. But that simply means there'll be all the more to tell in the next chapter! ;) Plus, this is the way I wanted to end the chapter, and I couldn't think of anything else to squeeze in that wouldn't be completely pointless. Once again, thanks so much to all my reviewers. If ever chance to meet any of you (Carlyn, Elliza, and Amerz notwithstanding; I see all three of you yahoos on a daily basis ;) I'll buy you a nice dinner. And Kat, you better e-mail _right_ after you get done reading/reviewing this! (Luv ya, girlie!)

Lurve and sunny summer days to you all ~ Adele


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